Harper Creek School Closed After Staff Tests Positive For COVID-19

Harper Creek High School remained closed on Friday after a staff member tests positive for COVID-19.

It is no surprise that we are seeing positive tests for COVID-19 coming in as schools open and students and staff return. School Superintendent Robert Ridgeway sent a letter to parents and guardians on Thursday, informing them of the test result and the school's closure. Then in a live video from the school systems social media page, Superintendent Ridgeway reinforced that closure was necessary to allow time for contact tracing through the Calhoun County Public Health Department and the school nurse and not that there is "an outbreak or anything".

While the doors to the building are closed, school for Harper Creek High School students continues with classes moving online.

Superintendent Ridgeway also noted that families that receive a call from the health department for a student in their home being possibly exposed through close contact do not have to quarantine, just the student in question.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' chief medical executive, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, announced in a news conference Thursday that a website will be available by the beginning next week showing data on school related coronavirus updates.

Harper Creek High School is not the first area school to be affected by positive COVID-19 cases, On Tuesday Marshall Public Schools announced two of its students had tested positive. However, Marshall schools remained open as it was believed the students were infected outside of the district's property and in separate instances.